Objective: to review the main publications on foreign body aspiration.Sources: a bibliographic search was carried out in Medline (1966-2000) and Lilacs (1979-1999), in Portuguese, Spanish and English, using the keywords "aspiration, foreign body, children, adolescents". Synthesis of data: the universal distribution of these accidents was confirmed. This condition is predominant in males (51.0-73.0% of the cases) and in children aged under 3 years (65.8-85.0% of the accidents). By analyzing clinical history and physical examination together, we found a sensitivity and specificity of approximately 80% and 40%, respectively. The radiological examination was very useful for diagnosis, showing a sensitivity between 57.9% and 100%. Nuts are the most common inhaled objects, amounting to approximately 70% of the episodes. Conclusions: rigid bronchoscopy is the procedure of choice and requires specialized professional training and well-equipped services. However, the preventive aspects of these accidents were not sufficiently emphasized in the context of this condition. This review has a specific section on these aspects.